08/17/2026
Be a Part of Our Journey
Trevor Peek is the first fighter in our small tri-state area to make it to the modern-day UFC. That makes me, Jeff Powell and Powell's Martial Arts Concepts, the first coach to make it to the modern-day UFC.
Trevor and I met at Haskew Jiu Jitsu in Kimball, TN. Trevor had begun his amateur career with no real training and sought out to learn more about grappling. The owner of the establishment and an old friend, Jon Haskew, had just hired me to coach kickboxing at that location.
After an awkward first meeting in a grappling exchange one night, Trevor came to my class the following day.
Trevor arrived early, along with his grandfather, and my future wingman, Bruce Roden. Trevor presented to class with abundant enthusiasm and a quiet intensity, which has somewhat became his trademark with those that have spent any amount of time around him. Every exercise, technique, or drill I taught, Trevor dove in at 100%, even when instructed to go easy. His passion for his new life pursuit could not be calmed.
After class, Trevor approached me with a myriad of questions in the most respectful of ways. He asked about my history with martial arts, when and where I would be coaching, and my availability for private lessons. The biggest question he had was "Will you come to Sand Mountain to coach us?" I declined.
After every class and private lesson, which Trevor scheduled 2-4 times a week, that big question would follow. After a month of persistence, Trevor finally received the answer he wanted.
None of us realized that it was the beginning of something great...
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